U23 Players 2020-21

**Eirambler** · 30/01/2021, 3:04 PM

He has no prospects at all at Celtic, even when they were missing 13 with the Dubai debacle he failed to make the bench for the Livingston game. So that was a squad of 20 and 13 more out, 33 players and he didn't even make the bench.

**Charlie Darwin** · 01/02/2021, 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by Eirambler

Into the last week of the transfer window again and once again there are a few Irish players that could really do with loan moves. I suppose them going anywhere is dependent on clubs actually being willing to take them on though.

Conor Coventry
Gavin Kilkenny
Jimmy Dunne
Luca Connell
Will Ferry
Mark Sykes
Jamie Bowden
Adam O'Reilly
Lewis Richards

would be among those that could benefit from playing some first team football I think. Dunne the most likely of those to get a loan move but hopefully one or two more will move also.

Would also like to see Joe Hodge go on loan, he's young but quite a few in his age group at Man City have gone on loan this season already.

Also I see Dundee have brought in an experienced forward today, Jason Cummings who has scored a lot of goals in that division previously. Afolabi was already struggling for minutes so that won't help him.

Coventry is injured so I'd be surprised to see him go out unless it was with a view to playing when he's fit.

**Charlie Darwin** · 01/02/2021, 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by Eirambler

He has no prospects at all at Celtic, even when they were missing 13 with the Dubai debacle he failed to make the bench for the Livingston game. So that was a squad of 20 and 13 more out, 33 players and he didn't even make the bench.

He was on the bench for the Hibs game and missed out as a couple more were free for Livingston. Not that I disagree on his overall prospects.

**CraftyToePoke** · 01/02/2021, 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Coventry is injured so I'd be surprised to see him go out unless it was with a view to playing when he's fit.

Captained West Ham U23s Friday night, finished the match. Was it since then ?

**Charlie Darwin** · 01/02/2021, 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by CraftyToePoke

Captained West Ham U23s Friday night, finished the match. Was it since then ?

Oh that's good to hear, he was injured the past few months and I didn't realise he was back.

Looks like it was his first match back: https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/...back-out-there

**tetsujin1979** · 01/02/2021, 12:52 PM

Galway United's Dara Costelloe seems to be on trial at Burnley, he's in their U23 side today against Newcastle

**tetsujin1979** · 01/02/2021, 8:23 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Galway United's Dara Costelloe seems to be on trial at Burnley, he's in their U23 side today against Newcastle

He's actually been with the claret since the summer and signed for their academy side after today's game: https://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/...-for-costelloe

**Eirambler** · 01/02/2021, 11:52 PM

No loan move for Jimmy Dunne in the end. Surprised at that. Possibly Burnley wanted to keep him once the Collins thing didn't work out.

**samhaydenjr** · 02/02/2021, 2:32 AM

Apart from Odubeko's brace on Friday (along with an assist), a couple of more performances of note over the weekend:

Ethan Varian was credited with two assists for Stoke against Wolves. Gabriel Adebambo came on as a sub while Conor Carty lined out for Wolves: https://www.premierleague.com/match/...stoke-v-wolves

Ali Reghba scored in Leicester's 3-1 defeat to Blackburn: https://www.premierleague.com/match/...er-v-blackburn

**Razors left peg** · 02/02/2021, 3:23 AM

Ali Reghba is someone I'd forgotten about. Doesn't seem like he's any way close to getting near 1st team at moment?

**Eirambler** · 02/02/2021, 6:08 AM

Nowhere near. Always thought Leicester was a strange move for him, he was unlikely to ever be good enough to break through there.

**Olé Olé** · 02/02/2021, 10:28 PM

Joe Hodge on loan to Derry City? This is intriguing on so many levels: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.iri...tml%3ftype=amp

Fergal Harkin is Pathways manager there and responsible for loans in some way. I assume he was involved in this. Either way, it has to be a big boost for Ireland.

**ColourfulPeanut** · 02/02/2021, 10:36 PM

I don't really like the idea of this.

The way the country is at the moment the league might not even go ahead any time soon and they won't have a game until at least the 19/03. In normal circumstances this would definitely be good though.

**boynemunich** · 03/02/2021, 7:13 AM

Originally Posted by ColourfulPeanut

I don't really like the idea of this.

The way the country is at the moment the league might not even go ahead any time soon and they won't have a game until at least the 19/03. In normal circumstances this would definitely be good though.

A full season of senior football beginning the 19th of March or no season of senior football at all this season ? Its a good move for him, still very young and can be called back in the summer if City wish. Also good for Ireland, if he was to be outstanding in Derry Kenny wouldn't hesitate to call him up get him his senior cap.

**Eirambler** · 03/02/2021, 7:37 AM

Strange one for Hodge if it happens. Is a bit concerning that he hasn't been in the City Under 23 team despite so many of them being out on loan. He has looked excellent at underage level for Ireland, often playing well above his age group. But this kind of move would make me wonder if City have a different view of his potential as a senior footballer than we do.

**tetsujin1979** · 03/02/2021, 8:50 AM

I'm a little surprised he's linked with a move to the League of Ireland, and not one of the clubs City usually loan players out to - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020%E...ason#Loans_out
This season alone there's four players at both Lommel in Belgium and Girona in Spain, and two (including Gavin Bazunu) at Rochdale

I'm assuming he has an Irish passport, and that working in the EU will not be an issue for him

**Exgrad** · 03/02/2021, 10:03 AM

Didn't Hodge have a serious enough injury last year? He hasn't played that much football in 2020. He gets to join a team at the start of their pre season, rather than going to L1 club or similar, in the middle of their season when it would be more difficult to break in, and catching up to their level of fitness. If he went to a European club he's got two weeks of sitting in a hotel room before he can kick a ball. Making more sense the more you think about it, maybe getting a loan a level or two up in the summer, with senior appearances under his belt and decent fitness levels.